 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Eugene
Date: 2001-12-08 05:16
how many tones does it take to change a-clar to b-flat when tranposeing from b-flat clar. to a clar.
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Author: Kim L.
Date: 2001-12-08 05:26
Eugene,
When transposing, first think of Concert pitch instruments, or an instrument pitched in C. The B-flat clarinet will transpose a major second above the C pitched instrument. The A clarinet will transpose a minor third above the C pitched instrument.
For example: If the flutes were playing in Bb, then the B-flat clarinet would be playing in C. The A clarinet would be playing a minor third above that, which would be in D major.
Hope this helps,
Kim L.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2001-12-08 05:44
Kim L....The A clarinet would be playing a Db...GBK
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Author: Mark M
Date: 2001-12-08 06:07
You know.... I'm a fairly good clarinetist. Retired from playing 20 years ago and started back up about 8 yrs ago. (and I'm only 49) However, I'm at a loss to understand all this major/minor, third, fifth, twelfth, stuff. When I was in school, we were taught how to read the music and play it. No theorey. Hopefully, things have changed. Anyone know where to go to find out how all this works? Without spending time/money going to a formal school? I would just like to be able to understand my fellow musicians when the discuss things. Nodding my head is only going to go so far.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2001-12-08 06:21
Mark M...The topic of music theory was discussed just very recently on this board, about 1 full page back. At that time I suggested a number of good theory texts - some more advanced than others. But, as a serious clarinetist it is IMPERITIVE that you have some working knowledge of the rudiments and terminology of music theory. Otherwise, as you yourself have noted, it will always be a mystery to you. A little (or a lot) of knowledge is a powerful thing to have.
As I am always very wary of obtaining any type of scholarly information on the web, and have stated many times to use primary sources as your first choice, you could supplement your studies with a number of sites (as a last minute source of help).
Check out http://www.musictheory.net/ as it has many of the basics you are looking for.
Find my written recommendations on a good theory text, purchase one, and keep it in your personal music library for handy reference...GBK
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Author: Marcia Nottle
Date: 2001-12-08 06:48
To answer the original question-to sound the same pitch the "A" must play a semitone higher than the "Bb". eg. concert A, to which an orchestra tunes, is B on the "Bb" instrument and C on the "A" instrument.
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Author: Dan Oberlin
Date: 2001-12-08 12:47
The most usual transposition involving B flat and A clarinets
occurs when playing a part written for A clarinet on your B flat.
Then you simply play each note a semitone lower than written.
For example, if a C major scale is written in the A clarinet part,
you will play a B major scale. Less frequently one goes the other
way, playing a part written for B flat clarinet on the A instrument.
Then you paly each note a semitone higher than written. If the
B flat part contains the notes C, E, F then you play instead C sharp,
E sharp (F), and F sharp.
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Author: William
Date: 2001-12-08 14:48
If your playing a Bb part on your A clarinet, simply add an imaginary sharp to each note you play. Each note written in Bb needs to be one half-step higher to be played on your A clarinet. Note--if a note already has a sharp, it becomes a "double sharp" or one step higher; if a note already has a flat, it becomes a natural. Not as hard to do as it sounds--just takes some practice and concentration. Transposing between A, Bb and C clarinets is routine among symphony players to avoid rapid or impossible instrument changes, changes for only a short segment, and to ensure good intonation by not having to switch to a cold--and flat--instrument. Transposition is a skill that should be part of every clarinetists practice schedule. Good Clarineting!!!!!!!!!
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Author: willie
Date: 2001-12-09 03:17
I, like Mark M, just read it and played it in school. And after a 20+ yr absence I got back into playing. One thing I did do though that has helped me was to take music theory in the community college and this made things alot clearer to me. If you can swing the time & money, I recommend it. I'm even trying to write some arrangements now. What is still a mystery to me though is how a bass fiddle (C instrument) and a tuba (Bb instrument) can play the same written note and sound right. All I can say is it works.
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Author: William
Date: 2001-12-09 04:35
Willie:
A BBb tuba and a Bb trumpet share the same fingering system. When the trumpet reads a C, it fingers it open but actually sounds a Bb. For a trumpet to sound a C, it must read a D which it fingers 1 & 3. When a tuba reads a C, it fingers as a trumpet D (1 & 3) and as a result, sounds a C. For the tuba to read a Bb, it fingers it like the trumpet C (open) and the result is Bb. Tuba players actually transpose all the time and do not realize it because they learn the transposed fingerings from their first lesson on. Same for the trombone, which is a Bb instrument. First position (or no valves for a valve trombone) sounds Bb and is read as a Bb. Basically, all bass clef instruments sound the pitch they read because they learn the fingering that sound the written pitch. A string bass, like a cello, is a C instrument naturally sounds the pitch it reads. So the result is the same for all of the transposing bass clef wind instruments--who all learn the fingerings to sound the pitch they read--and the (non-transposing) stringed bass instruments who all sound the pitch they read. Therefore, a tuba and string bass will read and sound the same pitch.
FYI--and to add to the muddy waters of transpositional practice--a trumpet player can become an "instant" tubist by playing an EEb tuba and reading the Eb tuba part as if it were in treble cleff minus three flats. Example: written Eb on the Eb tuba part looks like a C in treble cleff to the trumpet player, minus the flat. Both Eb tuba and Bb trumpet finger both notes as open. Therefore, a trumpet player playing an EEb tuba will automatically know the correct EEb tuba fingerings simply by pretending that the Eb tuba part is still in treble cleff--minus three flats--and play it as if still on trumpet.
An Eb bari sax can also play a Bb Tuba part in bass cleff via the same reasoning--read it as if it were in treble cleff and drop three flats. An Eb alto sax can read a cello part the same way.
French hornists even have more fun transposing parts in many different keys and clefs.
Now Willie (and kiddies)--for fun, how about that bass clarinetist reading a part written in bass cleff A clarinet???
Good Clarineting and Transposing!!!!!!!!!!
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Author: bob gardner
Date: 2001-12-09 14:42
i'm about finished with my music fund. class at the local college. I wanted to take the class to learn why we do what we do. I really learned a lot until we got into chords and then I got lost and am about ready to give up on the class.
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Author: William
Date: 2001-12-09 15:36
Basic chordal theory is simple to understand--don't give up too soon, you'll catch on. Learning to play chord progresions on your piano is a great aid in understanding how chords are built and how they relate to one another in progressions--and you do not need much piano technique to be able to play a progression such as: I, VI, IV, V7, I (C maj, A min, F maj, G dom 7, C maj) the four chord progression for "Heart and Soul." Good Chording!!!
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Author: GBK
Date: 2001-12-09 15:58
William wrote: ... "I, VI, IV, V7, I (C maj, A min, F maj, G dom 7, C maj) the four chord progression for "Heart and Soul."
- and about 800 doo wop songs of the 50's and early 60's ...GBK
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Author: willie
Date: 2001-12-10 01:26
Thanks for clearing that up for me, William, as it kinda had me baffled. I play tuba parts all the time on my EEb contra and love it. I'm messing around with an old EEb tuba I found in a Junktique shop off and on and it has been interesting! The best thing short of a Pit Bull for clearing the room of cats.
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Author: David Pegel
Date: 2001-12-10 23:27
As for the brass mentions: Brass is my forte, even as a high-school student. Here's my speculation...
Comparing brass transposition to woodwind transposition: apples and oranges.
Woodwinds: Go by the paper. Bb instruments see a Cand play a Bb. Eb see a C and play an Eb.
Brass: Go by fingerings. Bb instruments keep all valves open and play a Bb. F Horns (Without alternate Bb horn being used) keepall valves open and HOPEFULLY play an F.
As for intervals, I finally understand them, but I don't like the concept because the names get annoying. "Augmented Fourth"="Diminished Fifth", etc.
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